Natalia Zinets and Pavel Polityuk

KYIV, Reuters – Ukraine’s former President Petro Petroroshenko arrived in Kyiv to face treason allegations in a case he believes was rigged up by the allies of President Volodymyr Zilenskiy.

Following his arrival on the flight from Warsaw to Poland, there was an exchange at border controls. The man accused the guards of having taken away his passport. He was later greeted outside by flag-waving supporters.

Poroshenko’s return will set the stage for confrontation with Zelenskiy’s Government in what critics call an unwise distraction, at a time where Ukraine is bracing to a Russian military attack and appealing for Western support.

Western diplomats called on Ukraine to achieve political unity before Poroshenko arrived.

Poroshenko faces criminal investigation for possible treason in connection to illegal coal sale financing that financed Russian-backed separatist fighters while he was in office from 2014-15. Zelenskiy, according to his party was accused of trying recklessly silence any political opposition.

Zelenskiy’s administration claims the prosecutors, judiciary and courts are independent. Poroshenko has been accused by his government of feeling above the law.

Poroshenko stated to the crowd that they were not there to defend Poroshenko but rather to unify and protect Ukraine.

Tetiana Sapyan (a spokesperson for the State Bureau of Investigations, DBR) stated that Poroshenko was given a summons to appear at court on Monday.

Petro Poroshenko, however, refused to sign the procedural papers and ignored all legal requirements. At the same time the people who were present with him performed physical resistance which was captured on video.

Ukraine and its allies raised alarm over the presence of thousands of Russian soldiers near its borders.

After deliberations last week that failed to produce any breakthroughs, the United States stated on Friday that Russia was prepping a pretext for an invasion. The Kremlin dismissed the claim as absurd.